As the networks get their crews in place to cover the funeral for Ted Kennedy on Saturday (we’ll have the networks’ plans later today), the Daily News’ David Hinckley assesses yesterday’s coverage from the cable news nets:

On the left: MSNBC, which went wall-to-wall Kennedy the entire day, interspersing fresh reactions with warm remembrances of his life and times.

On the right: Fox News, where Kennedy was the main story all day – but where it was often used as an opener to discussions of the health-care plan he endorsed, which faces heavy criticism and an uncertain fate.

In the middle: CNN, which stayed wall-to-wall longer than Fox and incorporated more Kennedy features, but broke off as well for other stories.

Fox News SVP Michael Clemente tells Hinckley, “Sen. Kennedy lived a long public life so, of course, it had some wrinkles. But this wasn’t the day to focus there. We wanted our coverage to be complete and respectful, and I believe it was.”